Synergistic effect of vitamin A and D on chondrocyte-like ATDC5 cells

Abstract

Vitamin A and D are essential nutrients for normal skeletogenesis and bone growth in mammals. In growing calves, however, excess amounts of these vitamins synergistically cause growth inhibition of the hind limb. In this study, we investigated the adverse effect of these vitamins on a chondrocyte-like cell line, ATDC5.

All-trans retinoic acid (RA ; a vitamin A metabolite) or 1,25-dihydroxyvitaminD3 (1,25-D; a bioactive form of vitamin D) inhibited cell proliferation and these vitamins synergistically inhibited cell proliferation. RA or 1,25-D also reduced proteoglycan accumulation to the cell layer in a dose dependent manner and these vitamins synergistically reduced proteoglycan accumulation. Although either 100nM of RA or 10nM of 1,25-D increased cellular alkaline phosphatase activity (an of cellular hypertrophy), co-treatment with these vitamins did not affect the activity.

These results suggest that alterations of cell proliferation and differentiation by the synergism of VA and VD are associated with growth inhibition of the limbs in growing calves.